News
As Iowa's math scores decline, the state should use public funds to provide private tutoring for families in need and give students extra support without switching schools.
The amount that rates of sepsis increased for Texas women hospitalized when they lost their pregnancies in the second trimester, according to a new investigation from ProPublica. The increase occurred after Texas banned abortion in 2021.null
Bellflower, Calif., City Manager Ryan Smoot, on proposals in the wake of the Los Angeles fires to allow architects and engineers working on small residential construction projects to "self-certify" their plans and start construction immediately, as Smoot’s city in southeast Los Angeles County has been allowing for a decade. A proposal before the Los Angeles City Council would allow self-certification, though the city would still inspect the projects during and after construction. (CalMatters — Feb. 14, 2025)
Once a symbol of paradise, palm trees have become synonymous with Los Angeles. But with aging trees and changing cityscape, is it time for a new chapter?
Nebraska’s highest court will decide if the governor can force state workers back to the office, as unions argue for remote work rights. This echoes a broader national debate, with GOP leaders pushing return-to-office mandates.
Reported plans to cut staff in the Department of Housing and Urban Development, along with proposed budget cuts and the Trump administration’s funding freeze, have worried administrators of state and local housing programs.
If there's going to be a “Black mecca” for this rapidly growing sport, there's a good chance it will be Atlanta. But cities everywhere can benefit from this one small way to bring us together.
Despite sanctuary policies aimed at limiting local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, ICE continues to make arrests, highlighting the limits of these policies in protecting immigrants from deportation.
The Oklahoma Department of Corrections is seeking a private vendor to provide meals for nearly 20,000 prisoners, citing rising food costs and inefficiencies. But critics warn privatization may worsen food quality.
Federal biologist Ben Vizzachero, who recently found out he is among the roughly 3,400 U.S. Forest Service workers who were laid off by the Trump Administration. Vizzachero warns that as a result of the firings, national forests and the areas around them will be more vulnerable to fires, landslides and other natural disasters. (Los Angeles Times — Feb. 16, 2025)
Nevada lawmakers are pushing a bill that would require cities to update master plans with strategies to mitigate the effects of extreme heat, as Las Vegas and Reno experience rapid temperature increases.
The number of people who have tested positive in West Texas for the measles. Four patients who contracted measles said they were vaccinated against the disease. Thirteen patients have been hospitalized. The outbreak is the state’s largest in more than 30 years.
A memo from the Office of Management and Budget freezing federal grants to states was canceled. But funds are still being kept back, and budget officers are looking for answers.
Many states, particularly Republican-led ones, are feeling pressure to align their legislative priorities with the presidential administration. But states are facing new financial constraints after years of revenue growth.
The school district is one of a growing number across the country to pump money into creating a building tailor-made for pre-kindergarteners.
A spate of new bills in California and other states would protect consumers from electricity rate hikes that subsidize data centers.
Neodesha, Kan., is offering a variety of incentives, including student loan repayment, tax breaks and housing development plans to encourage people to move to the small town and combat rural population decline.
Khanika Harper, on how it feels to be a wedding officiant for inmates at the The Missouri Department of Corrections. Harper is a former psychiatric nurse; through her work, she met the partners of incarcerated men who wanted to get married but couldn’t find an officiant who would perform the ceremony inside a prison. She decided to get ordained, and has since married more than a dozen couples inside the state’s correctional facilities.. (The Marshall Project — Feb. 14, 2025)
The approximate number of people with autism who have jobs that align with their skill level and offer competitive salaries, according to Amy Wetherby, director of the Florida State University Autism Institute. On Tuesday, the Florida Senate Committee on Education PreK-12 unanimously backed a bill designed to create more work opportunities for individuals with autism during its first committee hearing.
The Supreme Court has made public corruption cases more difficult. The Justice Department's actions in New York suggests they may turn into political weapons.
Safety net systems should be integrated with workforce support programs. Mostly they aren’t. More states should implement the kind of “One Door Model” that Utah has proven effective.
Texas lawmakers are exploring tax incentives to help businesses provide affordable child-care options, aiming to address the state's child-care shortage and support working families.
Flooding in Eastern Kentucky over the weekend caused widespread damage in Hazard, affecting homes and businesses. Recovery efforts are underway, but many will face weeks of cleanup.
Arkansas state Sen. Mark Johnson. He represents Conway, which is home to Arkansas PBS, but he voted in favor of a bill abolishing its board in part because the Arkansas PBS Foundation lobbied him to vote against it, objecting to its potential mix of public and private funds for the purpose. The state Senate voted in favor of legislation to eliminate both the PBS board and the board that oversees the state library, citing concerns about mismanagement. (Wisconsin Examiner — Feb. 16, 2025)
Number of people being held in Wisconsin's state correctional facilities, which have an official capacity of 17,638. Gov. Tony Evers wants to dedicate over $325 million toward a plan that would update the state’s aging correctional facilities, close the Green Bay Correctional Institution in 2029, and spend more than $40 million to help "stabilize" the prison population through programs aimed at reducing recidivism, including workforce training and substance abuse treatment.
We profiled eight women leading the way in state and local government.
We profiled eight women leading the way in state and local government.
Women remain significantly underrepresented in public-sector leadership. However, proven strategies can help boost women's representation and create a more inclusive workforce.
Women weigh in on barriers they've experienced in the public-sector workplace, what they want training in, and more.
Mentorship programs can provide the guidance, support and opportunities needed to help more women grow in leadership roles.
Most Read
